Cocoabean

Jinx!! You owe me a Coke!! Oh wait, we can't do soda! Ok, iced tea then! :thumbdown:

Hello Ayana, I can still eat rice and whole grains. You will want to cut down on the amounts for certain, as Protein should be your focus. I do have problems with sticky rice and doughy breads. These tend to get stuck. Unfortunately, it is by trial and error to see if these foods will go down ok. Also the level of restriction in your band will rule what goes down or not. So, you might want your band a bit looser. You might also consider a different procedure. I believe bypass patients can tolerate rice. At least a coworker of mine who had bypass can.

Hi Faithgirl! You are doing awesome!! Keep up the good work!!! There is a plan to put your port back, right?? Sorry, I don't have a blog. I post here and on thinnertimes.com -- but mostly here. It has been an interesting two years. Monday is my 2nd Bandiversary! The changes have been gradual. I lost the majority of the weight over the first year and a few months. Since then, I have gradually lost a few more pounds. I am seeing my primary care doc on Tuesday to get some blood work done to make sure I am still normal blood sugar! :thumbup: It's been a while since I had it checked. I think self-confidence comes as a result of the weight loss or perhaps the procedure itself. You feel better about yourself because you have taken positive action toward being healthier. Because you have self-respect, people pick up on that and react to you differently. Personal experience speaking here...as my weight went down, I felt less self-conscious when in a group of people. Then I discovered I was not always the largest woman in the room. That was a great feeling, and a boost to my confidence. Not being the largest person around, I no longer felt like people were looking at what I was eating or what was in my shopping cart and judging me. Each victory changes you a little bit. I have prayed for the changes to be positive and make me a better person. These changes haven't affected any of my personal relationships. DH and I are still going strong, and my best friends pre-band are still my best friends. I was fortunate that none of my friends were "eating buddies." I'd think perhaps WLS could put a strain on a relationship that had a lot of emphasis on food. My DH often acted as my food police pre-banding. In fact it was sometimes an issue in our relationship. He is now my biggest cheerleader. He reminds me to chew, chew, chew, and cheers when I burp like a sailor. When I get stuck on something and am calling myself stupid he politely leaves me alone to deal with it. When the episode is over he'll ask if all is ok. I have tried to make my band program as close to my previous life as I could in hopes that I create habits that would be easy to maintain. Knowing my former attempts at "dieting" failed because they required lifestyle changes I could not live with, I approached banded life with a different attitude. Not that we have a whole lot of choice in some of the changes!! I am more active than previously, but not as muh as I should be. (she says with a red face) This probably explains why my ticker still says 14 pounds to go after two years. But I am very pleased with where I am at right now based on all of the things I posted up thread. My food choices prior to banding were not that unhealthful, just huge portions. With some junk food Snacks thrown in. So, I have gotten rid of the junk food, except for the rare occasion, and I use the band for portion control. When I do consume a "bad for me treat" it is in a small package so I do not brainlessly over-do it. I haven't had any complications. Most of my stuck episodes have been operator error, and they are getting fewer and farther apart. It does get frustrating when I go to a restaurant and the first bite gets stuck, and I can't finish my meal. Ok, enough rambling!! :thumbdown:

Antibiotics mess with the natural flora in the digestive tract which can cause bloating, and affect the scale. If you do a search of doxycyline and weight gain you'll find several forums of people listing many pounds of gain in short periods of time. It is usually temporary, but that doesn't mean it isn't frustrating at the time. "Back in the day" I was a Weight Watchers leader for a couple of years. I can't tell you how many times I was at the scales with someone who'd had a gain, and told me they had been on program the entire week. Upon further discussion I found they had been on antibiotics, it is something we were trained to discuss. Sure it is anecdotal and the people could have been lying, but as often as I saw this occur...I don't think everyone was.

Oh yeah, and don't forget the "Bat Wings!" :thumbdown:

The ability to blend into a room and not stick out. Size 10s in my closet...a couple of size 8s. Normal blood sugar. Normal blood pressure. Better cholesterol. Cheek bones that show. Collar bones that show. Fun on Lap-Band Talk. I don't obsess about food. I love it, but don't panice about my next meal. More energy. Self-esteem. Shopping in Missy sizes!! Self-confidence. Better eating habits. A wedding ring that was too small is now too big. Portion control. Confidence to eat what I want without fear that others will think, "she shouldn't be eating that!" Confidence to ask questions of waiters about how foods are prepared and ask for special orders. Less pain in my feet. No more food policing by the DH.

Hello all, The answer is, at least for her, her tests are current and will work. She found a new surgeon at a covered hospital and has a date! She'll be joining us bandsters the beginning of April! She's not happy that the new surgeon requires a month long post-op liquid phase, but she will survive. I also let her know that I got moved along in my post-op phases faster than I expected as I was doing well, so there is hope that it might not go on that long. Apparently her other choice of surgeon did not have that same requirement. Ah well, just a minor speed bump on the road to a healthier her!

Hi Everyone, Here's one for you. A friend of mine called her insurance company to find a surgeon. She went with their suggestion. Jumped through all the hoops, only to be denied...the surgery was approved, as was the use of the surgeon, but not the hospital....???? HUH? Apparently he doesn't have privileges anywhere else, so why would the insurance company have him listed as a surgeon? Wow!! Ok, so my real question is this: She now wants to change surgeons to one on her insurance who practices at an acceptable facility. Do you think that her test results from recent months can be used or will she have to start all over again? Thanks!!

I wonder if they'd sell a little bit on the side! :thumbdown: Probably not, and it is probably patented or copyrighted or proprietary or whatever they call it. Gee, they could probably make even more money if they packaged it and sold it as a supplement. I don't go to Jamba Juice very often, as my surgeon doesn't wanting me drinking my calories. And we know those smoothies are far from low calorie, but they are a yummy treat once in a great while! Ok, now I am Jonesin' for Jamba!

I know you've heard this, but I'll say it anyway. Don't compare yourself to someone else, especially a man. Having more muscle mass, they will generally lose at a higher rate. It also sounds as if he had more to lose, so he'd lose faster than you. Being on antibiotics? Yeah, that will slow weight loss down...and also lessen the effect of birth control pills (just ask my neice! 2 months preggers). You ARE losing. Keep focused on that! 14 lbs in 2 1/2 months is great! It is a long haul, not a short sprint! Best wishes!

Adagray, I have never heard of Pei Wei! Must go look for one!! OMG!!! 7 miles away! Ok...Just what I needed to find, a new restaurant! hee hee :crying: Hubby and I always share, so that helps the calorie count. He is totally addicted to veggie lettuce wraps, and rarely strays from that choice. He helps me finish whatever I choose though, what a guy! :eek:

Hi Majacw, I think you will be much happier with a bit taken out. You just gotta love it when liquid gets stuck, eh? You can go back in after things calm down and get another fill. But not being able to eat really sucks! Give your stomach time to heal after this. It was amazing after I had my unfill. What a relief! I had 0.5 cc taken out after a 1.0 cc fill. About a month later I went back in and had another 1.0 cc put in. So I ended up with double in of what I had removed a month earlier. Weird. Since then I have added another 0.5 cc more. My doctor said he prefers his band patients to have their bands looser and exercise more control. To which my husband replied, "if she had any control she'd not have needed a band!" :scared2: Thanks, Honey! Anway, I hope you are feeling better soon and able to eat a meal with ease and control!

:scared2: Er, make that 11 weeks, huh? I dunno what calendar I was looking at yesterday. DOH! That is an even better loss rate. Ok, have I REALLY lost as much as I think I have? let's see....217 minus 154..... equals 250, right? ok, yeah, I've lost 250 lbs! Nah, not really! But I'll take 63 from all time high! Oh yeah!!! 2 year bandiversary right around the corner!!

Hey wait a minute, I am the government! :rolleyes2: But aviation, not health. We're here to help. HA! Air Traffic Delays, anyone? Her doc told her that he'd send her records where ever she decides to go. But I just hope they aren't "too old" and the new doc wants to do new ones or some stuff like that! Last I spoke with her, she was off to the phone to figure it all out.

You are about 15 weeks post-op. You are averaging a pound a week. That is awesome! We can expect 1-2 pounds per week. Don't get discouraged. It takes time to get to the sweet spot. Keep trucking. A band is not about speedy losses. I averaged less than a pound a week during my active losing phase. Keep a positive focus, you can do it! When you get to your sweet spot, it will be sooooo much easier.

Oooooohhh! I love PF Changs!!!! Veggie Lettuce Wraps! Budha's Feast! Hot and Sour Soup! Mu Shu Pork! Lo Mein! :rolleyes2: Oh man, I'm hungry!

You are now a veteran of stuckage! Welcome! :thumbup: Now, I can't imagine the pain an unchewed brussel sprout could cause! Owie! Chew, chew, chew!

Oh, and after a fill, Jamba Juice, strawberries and banana with a protein shot! Yummy.

Wendy's Chili. Daphne's Gyro Sandwich. Rubios cheese Quesadilla (I eat about half). Or a bean and cheese burrito from just about anywhere usually goes down well. I also eat dark meat chicken with the skin removed. Popeyes Red Beans and Rice is way yummy. Chicken sandwiches are OUT. Much Much too dry, as they are usually breast meat.

You betcha! I am debating if I want to work harder to lose more, or get another fill to knock out a few more calories. The fact is, I feel great where I am. DH likes where I am. I am eating a reasonable amount of food. I rarely get stuck. I like the size 10. Would I like size 8 better? Of course! Am I motivated enought to work harder? Nah... I have an appointment with my PCP next week to get blood work run to see how that is doing. Will re-evaluate then. :thumbup: It better still be good, it's been about a year since I had it run. :thumbup:

My surgeon doesn't want me consuming Protein shakes, or any liquids with calories. He wants me to get my calories from solid foods that will satisfy me longer than liquids. Protein shakes will go right through the band, and some contain a lot of calories. You need to take that into consideration.

Every doctor is different. Mine waits for 6 weeks before doing a fill. The post-op time is for healing, not weight-loss. If you gain a bit, so be it. It is not uncommon. This period is what we call bandster hell. Borrowing from another poster...consider your band like a new car, which has an empty gas tank. It sure is pretty, but it does you no good. It can't take you anywhere without a fill up. Your band is not providing you any assistance at the moment. If you had tons of willpower, you wouldn't have needed the band :thumbup: Try and eat reasonably now and heal up. You don't need the added swelling that can occur after a fill. Your time for losses will come after the healing is done. Best wishes in your recovery!

I've had people tell me I am "too thin." But they are used to seeing me "too heavy." So whatever! 5 more pounds would put me at a normal BMI. My surgeon said I could get to 130. I've been there years ago. Was a size 4 and had to work like a fiend to get there. So, I chose 140 as a goal. Now I have stabilized at 154, and am maintaining it with ease. I wear a size 10, and my blood tests are good. My questions to you would be, how is your health where you are? Blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and the like? Do you like the size you are wearing? Do you like what you see in the mirror? In one of my pre-op classes the lecturer said that for many obese people, we will not get into the normal BMI category post-op. But we will be WAY more healthy that we were.

When dining out or with a group it is improtant to pay attention to what you are doing and chew, chew, chew. Don't take big bites. I tend to swallow too fast because of conversation going on around me. I want to join in, and oops....down it goes suddenly! Around people, it is easy to get distracted while eating which can lead to stuck episodes.

Hi Majacw, You might consider a slight unfill for a while until things calm down. I had to do that after a fill. I was OK for a few days then started having problems and could barely get liquids down. After a week of that I gave up and went in to have half of that fill removed. I'd had 1 cc added. I got 0.5 cc removed. A month later I was able to get another 1 cc added back in. So, it might seem like a step backwards, but sometimes we really need to give our stomachs a break. When I got stuck on mashed potatoes and a piece of string cheese I knew I was in trouble. It sounds to me as if your band is a bit too tight. Think about a slight unfill, you don't have to get ALL the fill removed. Being able to eat is way better than hoping to keep soup down. Best wishes.